The neurodiverse mathematics student

There is an increasingly diverse population of students entering mathematics courses in higher education. While this enriches the environment it can bring challenges that higher education institutions need to address. This chapter will introduce the idea of neurodiversity and provide further details about four of these: dyslexia, dyspraxia, Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The main focus of the chapter will be to consider the impact for neurodiverse students of four factors in undergraduate mathematics: notes, lectures, assessment and departmental provision. The chapter will explore the barriers that higher education institutions often pose for the neurodiverse student and suggest ways in which mathematics can be made more accessible and departments achieve greater inclusivity. The discussions are illuminated through vignettes of individual neurodiverse students and their journey through mathematics.